The Sweet Spot: Dialing Back Sugar and Amping Up Flavor: A Cookbook

by Bill Yosses, Peter Kaminsky

Overview

The former White House pastry chef for Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama presents a healthy, delicious collection of dessert recipes. 
 
Treat sugar like salt. This is the mantra of Bill Yosses, a former White House pastry chef, and his secret to baking indulgent yet wholesome desserts that truly satisfy. After being tasked by First Lady Michelle Obama to create healthier treats for her family, he discovered that when he dialed back the sugar in his recipes, his desserts were not only healthier on paper, but they actually tasted better too. In The Sweet Spot, Bill upends the notion of “healthy” desserts and shares an inspiring collection of delectable sweets that reveal the magic that happens when you bake with less sugar.  By using it as a flavor enhancer, you can showcase the natural sweetness and unique flavors of your other ingredients, and when you incorporate better, more flavorful add-ins like nut flours, essential oils, herbs, and spices, you’ll be satisfied even if there’s a smaller portion on your plate. From Kabocha Persimmon Pie and Matcha Green Tea Roll with Blackberry Pastry Cream, to Lemon Kaffir Semifreddo and Popped Quinoa Chocolate Cookies, Bill’s treats show us that desserts don’t have to be a source of penance to be exquisite and indulgent. Complete with a professional baker’s tricks of the trade to ensure your confections are as gorgeous as they are delicious, The Sweet Spot is a must-have for anyone looking to up their dessert game. Once you start baking Bill’s way, you’ll be able to have your cake…and eat it too!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780804189019
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	10/24/2017
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	8.60(w) x 10.00(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Bill Yosses was the White House Executive Pastry Chef from 2007 to 2014, where he was closely involved with First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign. Prior to his time at the White House, Yosses was the executive pastry chef at The Dressing Room, Tavern on the Green, and Bouley Restaurant. He has given lectures on science and cooking at Harvard University and is the founder and chair of the Kitchen Garden Laboratory, which uses science to teach children about healthy cooking. He is the winner of the 2013 James Beard Who’s Who Award. 

Peter Kaminsky is the author of more than two dozen books, including Elements of Taste, Pig Perfect, and 7 Fires. He has contributed food stories to The New York Times, New York magazine, Food & Wine, Travel & Leisure, and Condé Nast Traveler.

Read an Excerpt

FRUIT CRISPS WITH NUT TOPPINGS
(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "The Sweet Spot"
by .
Copyright © 2017 Bill Yosses.
Excerpted by permission of Penguin Publishing Group.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Editorial Reviews

★ 09/04/2017
Yoses, executive pastry chef at the White House from 2007 to 2014, demonstrates that flavor trumps sugar in this collection of worthy desserts. The Obamas referred to him as crustmaster-in-chief and joked that his philosophy was to “treat sugar like salt.” He discusses his “seven pillars of healthier desserts,” such as using more whole grains, no processed foods, and including herbs, spices, and essential oils. Chapters are broken down by type of dessert, including pies, tarts, half-pound cakes, and fancy bites. Innovation rules here: the Moroccan-inspired Casbah Cookie features bergamot oil, local honey, and pomegranate seeds, while a pistachio sponge cake makes use of pistachio flour and is served with a kumquat compote. The Gin Crust Winter Pie includes its namesake liquor (an optional ingredient), along with orange blossom water. Notes throughout the collection—with information such as how to work with dried fruit and what to do with leftover yolks—add value to any baker’s arsenal. Yoses, with Kaminsky, has produced a thoughtful, inspiring title to bake through the seasons. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

"It’s a testament to [Yosses's] skill and ingenuity that he’s able to pull off such low-sugar feats that don’t lack a thing in terms of sweet satisfaction."
—The New York Times

"There’s so much to love in Bill Yosses’ new book!  Of course there’s the fact that each recipe uses less sugar than most, but that, while the point, is almost beside it.  You’ll bake your way through this book for the wide range of recipes, Yosses’ fascinating takes on them, the interesting ingredients he uses and the sophisticated way he combines flavors and textures.  And you’ll read it for his stories and learn from his notes." 
—Dorie Greenspan, James Beard Award winning author of Dorie’s Cookies

"I love the ideas and techniques as well as the recipes in this new book! Bill relies on the inherent sweetness and flavor of quality ingredients—not to mention his considerable pastry skills—to revise and re-imagine desserts with loads less processed sugar. There’s no preaching here, just a smart and delicious use of flavorful non-wheat flours, whole grains, nut, herbs, vinegars, and essential oils to enhance flavors—even chia seeds to thicken fruit filling for pies and tarts. The curious cook will find brilliant but approachable new recipes and techniques.”
 —Alice Medrich, James Beard Award winning author of Gluten Free Flavor Flours 

“For as long as I have known Bill Yosses, I have enjoyed his creativity and trusted his taste in pastry. In The Sweet Spot, he sets an ambitious goal: to replace bakers’ reliance on sugar with an emphasis on high-quality seasonal ingredients. In turn, his desserts defy our traditional expectations of ‘sweets’; they are vibrant, healthy and offer uniquely clean flavors.”
—Daniel Boulud, Chef/Owner DANIEL, New York City  www.danielboulud.com

"Pastry guru Bill Yosses wows dessert-lovers with a collection of pies, tarts, cookies, cakes that go easy on sugar, but keep flavor first and foremost. These pioneering pastries are sure to hit everyone's sweet spot. I'm looking forward to baking my way through this revolutionary book!"
—David Lebovitz, author of My Paris Kitchen and The Perfect Scoop

"A thoughtful, inspiring title to bake through the seasons."
—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

From the Publisher